Bangladesh will begin administering booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Dhaka from Tuesday amid a rise in omicron cases around the world.
“From tomorrow we will begin distributing [booster] doses to people over 60 and frontline workers,” said Md Lokman Hossain Miah, the senior secretary of the Health Services Division, at an event organised by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on Monday, reports bdnews24.com.
“Everyone in the country should get at least two doses of the vaccine.”
Several thousand flights across the world were cancelled over the past few days due to the omicron variant of the disease, the Health Services secretary said.
“Everyone needs to get the vaccine and wear masks to protect themselves from omicron. We have spoken to officials at the local union and municipality level so that everyone everywhere, down to the last rickshaw driver, gets the vaccine.”
The booster doses will go to those over the age of 60 and those involved in work that puts them directly at risk due to the COVID pandemic, said Dr Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general of health services. The boosters will be administered at the same vaccination centres people received their first doses.
“We have the information of those who registered and got their first and second doses of the vaccine. SMS messages will be sent to those who received their second dose of the vaccine six months ago or before that. The SMS will be sent out from the same centre where people got their first two vaccines. Whoever gets the message will be able to get another dose of the vaccine. Text messages will be sent out starting today.”
Ahmedul Kabir said that work was still underway on updating the Surokkha app and so areas outside Dhaka will get the booster doses in a few days.